Public confidence in colleges and universities has declined, presidential turnover has reached historic highs, and board–president conflicts increasingly play out in the courts, the press, and state legislatures. Yet trustees are often volunteers, highly accomplished in their professions, but underprepared for the unique complexities of shared governance, accreditation oversight, and fiduciary responsibility.

In The Good, the Bad, and the Board, Dr. Mac Powell draws on decades of experience in accreditation, board service, and institutional crisis to offer an unflinching examination of what happens when boards fracture, and how institutions can recover. Through real-world case studies and personal accounts from those who have lived to tell the tales, this book offers a practical roadmap for ethical, disciplined, and future-focused board leadership.